Manufacture of golf balls or the like



P 1939- c. R. SIBLEY 2,171,607

MANUFACTURE OF GOLF BALLS OR THE LIKE Filed Jan. 28, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheetl Sept 5, 1939. c. R. SIBLEY MANUFACTURE OF GOLF BALLS OR THE LIKE FiledJan. 28, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 5, 1939. c. R. SlBL-EY 2,171,507

MANUFACTURE OF GOLF BALLS OR THE LIKE Filed Jan. 28, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheets Figfi w/ w Patented Sept. 5, 1939 UNITED STATES MANUFACTURE OF GOLFBALLS OR THE LIKE Charles R. Sibley, Marblehead, Mass, assignor toSibley-Pym Corporation, Lynn, Mass, a corporation of MassachusettsApplication January 28, 1935, Serial No. 3,773

25 Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of cores for golf balls andother wound articles. In one aspect it consists in a novel process ofproducing a resilient core by a continuous Winding cycle in which threadis laid in different parts of the ball in great circle fashion and inbasket weave fashion, In another aspect it consists in a novel machinefor carrying out the process of my invention.

In the manufacture of golf balls it has been found that cores may bewound at a high rate of speed when the thread is laid in great circlefashion, that is to say, in courses which correspond substantially tothe full or meridian diameter of the core. A number of successfulcommercial machines operate in this manner. the thread being laid on onefull diameter or great circle of the core for one or two turns, and thenthe axis of rotation of the core being slightl3 shifted so that .thenext turns of thread are laid upon another great circle slightlydisplaced from the preceding turns. The great circle process of Windingis not only advantageous from thestandpoint of high speed of winding butit also lends itself .to winding at relatively high tension, since thethread is thus delivered symmetrically with respect to the corepositioning elements and substantially in the plane of maximum drivingtraction upon the core.

While great circle winding is advantageous in the respects noted,certain manufacturers of golf balls prefer coresin which the elasticthread is laid, at least in the surface windings of the core, in basketweave fashion, that is to say, with I substantial spaces betweenadjacent turns of the thread. In that style of winding the consecutiveturns are spaced from each other and need not all be laid in greatcircle fashion but may be displaced laterally so as to form turns on thecore which are less than the full diameter thereof. The basket weavewinding gives to the surface of the core a rougher and more open textureand presents interstices into which the plastic material of the shellmay enter in the molding operation. I A somewhat better bond is,therefore, secured between a basket wound core and the molded shell.This appears so desirable that many manufacturers divide the windingopera" tion into two distinct steps, some going so far as to take thepartially wound core from a great circle winding machine and present itto a second winding machine for completing or topping the core withthread laid in basket weave fashion. This procedure, of course, addsgreatly to the expense of manufacture and necessitates the extraoperations of fastening off the end of the great circle wound thread andfastening in the end of the basket Weave wound thread.

I have discovered a process whereby the complete core may be wound by acontinuous winding cycle without interruption and from a continuouselastic thread laid first in great circle fashion and then in basketweave fashion. The process of my invention is characterized by rotatinga core continuously first at a high rate of speed in a manner for greatcircle winding, and then at a lower rate of speed in a manner for basketweave Winding, meanwhile delivering elastic thread continuously to thecore. In winding the inner portion of the core, I preferably engage thesame by members rotatable in fixed axial position, and under theseconditions the axis of rotation of the core is shifted gradually and thethread laid in great circle fashion. When the desired predetermineddiameter of core has been reached, I impart an additional axial movementto one of the members whichrotate and position the core, thus abruptlyshifting the axis of rotation of the core between turns so that thethread is wound thereon in basket weave fashion. I

Various mechanisms may be employed for carrying out the process of myinvention. For purposes of illustration I have herein disclosed amachine in which the core is first rotated and positioned by threemembers rotatable in fixed axial position, one of said members beingadapted to be automatically oscillated in axial movement when it isdesired to lay the elastic thread in basket weave fashion. It will beunderstood that the specific winding machine herein selected forillustration is merely for the purpose of exemplifying one manner inwhich the process of my invention may be carried out, and that myinvention contemplates the continuous winding first in great circlefashion and then in basket weave fashion, or vice versa, by anymechanism suitable fo these two functions.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of amachine adapted for carrying out my novel process;

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of the machine as seen from the rear,with the motor parts omitted;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary View of the core positioning and rotating partsof the machine;

Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation, partly in section and on an enlargedscale, of the rear part of the machine;

Fig. 5 is a view in elevation and on a still larger scale showing agreat-circle-wound core in its position in the machine; and

Fig. 6 is a similar view of a basket-Weave wound core.

The machine herein illustrated is in some aspects based upon thatdisclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,033,356 granted March10, 1936, and for details of construction not herein shown reference maybe had to that application.

the cylindrical end of a square shaft [2, and a driven roll it. Thesquare shaft I2 is mounted for horizontal reciprocation,inbearingsformed in the panel ll and the driven roll I5 is fast to the forward endof a rotary shaft 39 journaled in bearings provided in the panel l l.The driven roll i5 is concave in contourand the roll I3 is herein shownas being straight sided. Over the two rolls is stretched an endlessflexible apron l6, which may be of suitable rubber composition and whichserves both to provide a cradle for holding the core 28 and to impartrotation thereto in the winding operation. The apron or band l3 alsorotates the roll l3 at all times, both while reciprocating axially andwhile rotating on a fixed axis.

The core 28 isheld firmly in place upon the apron i6 and its supportingrolls by a detector disk l'l having a'convex rim and being mounted forfree rotation upon a stud projecting from the end of an arm is. The armextends transversely across the front of the panel If and is secured atits other end to the forward end of the horizontal shaft at which isjournaled in the panel H. To the rear end of the shaft 20 is secured atransverse arm 2i which extends across the rear face of the panel ll andcarries an adjustable weight 22. The arm 2| projects forwardly at itsfree end in an extension 85, which will presentl'y be referred to. Theweight 22 insures firm engagement of the detector disk I! upon the core28 throughout the winding operation.

Elastic thread 25 to be wound upon the core is supplied from a reel orspool 26 rotatably mounted in a yoke-shaped bracket 21 supported abovethepanel H. Thread 25 is led from the supply spool 26 "to tensionmechanism, not herein shown since it forms no part of the presentinvention, and then over a guide roll 29 to the core 28, as shown inFig. 3. As the core 28 is rotated and thread 25 supplied thereto, thedetector disk I! reacts with the last wound turns of thread to displacethe core and cause it to remain always spherical in shape, thethreadbeing laid upon the core in great circle fashion. Traction forrotating the core is supplied directly by the flexible apron 23 whichcradles the core, as shown in Figs. 5- and 6, although the core isactually supported in position by the driven roll I5 and the idle rolll3.

The machine is driven by a motor 30 supported upontherear portion of theframe I0 and provided with a shaft 3i carrying a universal joint 32 atits outer end. The forward end of the universal joint 32 is connected tothe rear end of a shaft 33, best shown in Fig. 4, which is jourdrivenroller i5, and interposed between these two aligned shafts 33' and 39 isa short intermediate shaft 36 journaled in ball bearings 31 andsupported at its rear end by a smaller set of ball bearings which arereceived within a sleeve 43 keyed to the forward end of the shaft 33".

The 'motor""30" may rotate at relatively high speed, for example 3500B.P. M.', and the shaft 33,-according-ly, is rotated always at this rateof speed. The intermediate shaft 36 'may be driven at the full motorspeeddirectly from the shaft 33 or it may be driven through reducinggear mechanism at a much slowerrate of speed, for example 600 R. P. M.The machine is so organized as to drive the intermediate shaft 36 athigh speed while the core 28 is being wound in great circle fashion, andto drive the intermediate shaft 316 at low speed through the reducinggear mechanism when the core 28 is being wound in basket weave fashion.

The driving mechanism between the shafts 33 and 33 will now bedescribed. As already stated, the shaft 33 carries at its forward end asleeve or collar d3 which is .keyed thereon. Keyed to the sleeve 63 forlongitudinal movement thereon is a clutch member 42 having concaveclutch surfaces upon both faces. 'The outer face of the clutch member 62is arranged to cooperate with a clutch cone 44 fast upon the rear end ofthe shaft 36. The rear face of the clutch member 42 is arrangedtocooperate. with a clutch cone ll which is fast with a pinion 43 upon asleeve journaled to rotate freely upon the shaft 33. Accordingly, whenthe clutch member 32 is shifted toward the rear, as shown in Fig. 4, itengages with the clutch cone H and acts to drive the pinion lilat thespeed of the shaft 33. While so engaged, the clutch cone 44 is free sothat there is no direct driving connection between the shafts 33 and 36.

The pinion ll! is arrangedto mesh at all times with a large gear 5i!fast upon a shaft journaled to rotate freely in bearings 51 carried byan adjustable bracket 53 which is bolted to the bracket 35 of the frame.On the same shaft with the gear Ellis a smaller gear 52. which meshes atall times with a gear 5 fast upon the rear end of a horizontal shaft 35journaled in bearings 56 formed in the bracket 38 and carrying at itsforward end another gear 51. The gear 51 is arranged to mesh with apinion 33 which is keyed together with a clutch cone 66 upon a sleeve 59arranged to rotate freely upon the shaft 36. The clutch cone 66 isarranged to cooperate with asliding clutch member 6| keyed to the shaft36 for longitudinal movement thereon and arranged to transmit rotationof the pinion 58 to the shaft 38. when moved rearwardly, as shown inFig. 4.

The clutch members 42 and 6| are arranged to be shifted simultaneouslyby shipping mechanism which will now be described. The clutch member 32is circumferentially grooved to receive a shipper shoe 62 and the clutchmember 6i is correspondingly groovedto receive a shipper shoe 63. Theseshoes extend circumferentially in the grooves of the clutch members. andare connected by a yoke-shaped carrier 64 which is supported in positionbetween the arms of a forked shipper lever 65 pivotally mounted upon afulcrum pin 36 in the bracket 38. At its lower end the shipper lever 65is connected through an adjustable link 63 to a downwardly extending arm69 loose to a transverse shaft Ill journaled in the machine frame. Theshaft 16 also carries a forwardly extending handle H, by which theoperator may control the position of the shipper lever 65 in certainrespects. A tension spring fi secured to the lower end of the shipperlever tends always to swing the lever in a counterclockwise direction,as seen in Fig. 1, and to shift the clutch members 42 and 61 into theposition shown in Fig. 4, that is to say, to render the reducing gearmechanism effective. Under these conditions it will be seen that theshaft 36 is driven at reduced speed by the clutch cone 60,

this in turn being rotated by the gear train 7 585I-54-52- 50-40. Thegear train in turn is rotated by the clutch cone 4| set in motion by theclutch member 62. On the contrary, when the shipper lever 65 is rockedin a clockwise direction against the tension of the spring 72, theclutch cones t2 and 6?) are disengaged and the shaft 3'5 is rotateddirectly at high speed by the engagement of the clutch member 42 withthe clutch cone M.

The arm I59 above referred to carries a downwardly extending springblade 13 having at its lower end a hardened wear piece I4. This isarranged to cooperate with a latch block I5 adjustably secured to alatch lever 76 mounted to rock about a fulcrum pin 11 which is carriedby a standard projecting from the base of the machine frame. A tensionspring 18 is connected to the rear end of the latch lever I6 and tendsalways to rock it in a clockwise direction. The upper end of the springI3 is secured to an eye carried by the adjustable link 58. A downwardlyextending T-shaped arm 9!] is secured to the shaft '59. Its rearwardlyextending branch is connected to the forward end of the latch lever itby means of a slotted link 9| and its forward end is located in linewith the wear piece 74. Consequently, when the handle 'II is depressed,the arm $39 is swung in a clockwise direction and the shipper lever 65is rocked in a clockwise direction by the link 58 against the tension ofthe spring it. When the wear piece 14 has been carried behind the rearupper edge of the latch block to, the latch lever snaps upwardly underthe actuation of the spring 78 and the shipper lever i5 is thus latchedin high speed position, that is to say, with the clutch member 42engaged with the clutch cone it and the clutch member ti disengaged fromthe clutch cone 5%. Under these conditions the winding operationproceeds at high speed in great circle fashion, laying the turns ofelastic thread in the manner indicated in Fig. 5.

The depression of the handle II is effected by th operator preliminarilyto starting the machine and after the mechanism has been once organizedto operate in this manner it continues until the latch is tripped eithermanually at the option of the operator or automatically when the corereached a predetermined diameter. The latch may be tripped manually atany time by iifting the handle "it, and when this occurs the latch leverit is rocked in a counterclockwise direction by the link ill It will beapparent that the slot in the link 9i permits the arm 9!! to be movedrearwardly sufficiently to cause latching engagement between the wearpiece '54 and the latch block 75 without affecting the position of thelatch lever or in any way preventing it from snapping upwardly ineffecting the latching operation.

The latch may be tripped automatically by mechanism which will now bedescribed. The forward end of the latch lever 16 is connected to thelower end of a long vertically-disposed link it and the latter isconnected at its upper end to a forwardly-extending arm 8@ of a yokemember arranged to rock about a transverse shaft 85 which is supportedby a lug extending rearwardly from the panel I I, as shown in Fig. 2.The other arm 82 of the yoke carries an adjustable stop member 83 whichextends a variable distance beneath the arm 82 and in alignment with aforward extension 85 at the free end of the lever 2i. The level 2|, asalready explained, carries an adjustable counterweight 22 and tendsalways to move downwardly to a position determined by the engagement ofthe detector disk I! with the core being wound. The initial position ofthe arm 82, and consequently of the link i9, is determined by anadjustable stop screw 841 which projects downwardly from the arm 82 andengages the portion of the machine frame which carries the fulcrum pin8|.

From the foregoing description it will be clear that as the diameter ofthe core increases and the arm 59 is rocked upwardly carrying with itthe arm 2%, the extension 85 of this arm will engage the stop member 83,rocking the yoke in a counterclockwise direction, lifting the link 19and rocking the latch lever I6 downwardly at its rear end so as todisengage the latch block I5 from the wear piece I4 and thus permit thespring "52 to shift the speed reducing mechanism to its low speedcondition.

Whenever the machine is shifted from high to low speed operation,mechanism for oscillating the square shaft I2 and the idle roll I3 isthrown into action. This mechanism will now be described. The shaft I2is connected at its rear end to an oscillatory arm 92 slotted at itslower end to receive a fulcrum pin 93. The fulcrum pin is carried by anadjustable arm 94 which is slotted and clamped to the machine frame. Theamplitude of movement of the arm 92 may be varied and adjusted byshifting the position of the arm 94 and the fulcrum pin 93. Theoscillatory arm 92 is connected through an adjustable link 95 to thefree end of a cam lever 9% which is pivotally supported at a point (notshown) behind the shaft 22, as seen in Fig. 3, and is provided with acam roll 9? arranged to run in the track of a cam 98 loosely mounted onthe forward end of the shaft 55.

A toothed clutch is provided for engaging and disengaging the cam 98with respect to the shaft 55. To this end the forward face of the cam isprovided with teeth Ififi arranged to interlock with corresponding teethof a member ltI keyed to the shaft I05 but free to move longitudinallythereon. The member IilI is provided with a circumferential groove toreceive the pins of a horizontally moving shipper yoke I522. The shippermember I52 has a pin and slot connection with a vertically-extending armI83 which is pivotally supported at its upper end upon the pivot shaft 8I, already described, and has a yokeshaped portion through which passesthe shaft 39. A forwardly-extending tension spring HM connected to thelower end of the arm I83 tends always to swing it forwardly and throughthe shipper I82 to disengage the clutch IQD-Ifil.

A self-contained clutch I66 is interposed between the shaft 36 of thedriving mechanism of the machine and the shaft 39 which operates theinstrumentalities of the machine handling the core. The clutch I66 isnot herein shown in full detail since it corresponds to that fullydisclosed in said Letters Patent No. 2,033,356. The clutch I 06 isnormally disengaged and is engaged by movement of the sleeve Ii]? underthe actuation of the arm Hi3, which is provided with pins I538 forconnection with a groove in the sleeve I ill. When the arm I 33 isrocked rearwardly, both the clutch I06 and the clutch llllliil areengaged. Accordingly, the core being wound is set in rotation and anoperative connection is established between the low speed mechanism andthe connections for oscillating the square shaft I2. If the slow speedmechanism has been thrown into operation, the shaft I2 is reciprocatedand osciliii latory'm'ov'ement'imparte'd to the core in addition toits'rotary'movement. If, however, the driving mechanism is operating athigh speed, the shaft oscillating mechanism still remains at rest.

The arm' I03 is connected through a rod I09 to a'starting button. I05located within convenient reach of the operator, who may start thewinding operation by pushing the starting button I05 in- Wardly. androcking the arm I03 rearwardly against the tension of the spring I04.When this occurs, the arm I04 is latched in running position by a latch,notshown, and this in turn may be tripped'whenit desired to stop themachine by depressing astopping button H0. The details of this'mechanismare not herein illustrated since they form no part of the presentinvention and are fully disclosed in the pending application aboveidentified.

The machine above described has of itself me many novelfeatures ofconstruction but it ex- 75 -weave effects to the surface of the core,The

emplifies only one suitable type of machine for carrying out the novelmethod of my invention, and it will be understood that widely differentmechanism may be employed for carrying out the method. Bearing in mindthat the illustrated machine is only one example of what might be used,the method of handling the core therein will be summarized as carriedout under commercial conditions. The operator starts with a center,which may be solid rubber or a liquidfilled ball, and upon this makes afew turns of elastic thread 25. He then lifts the detector disk I!and'places the core upon the apron I6 between the rolls I3 and I5, thethread 25 running tothe core 28 from suitable tension mechanism, notherein described. Meanwhile, the motor 30 is running and the handle 'IIhas been depressed, disengaging the clutch member 42 from the cone 4 Iand engaging it with the cone 44, so that the reducing gear mechanism isat rest and the shaft 36 is rotating at high speed. The operator nowdepresses the starting button I05, clutching the shaft 39 to the highspeed shaft 36 and incidentally engaging the clutch I00I 0|, although,as already explained, the shaft 55 is at this time at rest. Immediatelyupon the engagement of'the clutch I06, the driven roll I5 revolves at'high speed, driving the apron I6 and rotating the core 28 beneath thedetector disk II. Under these conditions, the thread is laid upon thecore 28 in great circle fashion, the core being gradually displaced bythe reaction of the detector disk with the last wound turns of threadbut the successive turns being laid close together at high speed,rapidly building up a. spherical 'core of smooth exterior. As thewinding operation progresses and the diameter of the core 28 increases,the detector disk is lifted, carrying with it the arm 2|, whicheventually engages the stop member 83 and trips the latch 'I4I5,permitting the spring I2 to throw the reducing gear mechanism intooperation and reduce the speed of rotation of the roll I5 fromapproximately 3600 to 600 R. P. M.

When the shaft 55 of the reducing gear mechanism'starts to rotate, thecam 98 at once becomes effective to oscillate the vertical arm 92 andimpart .a" reciprocation to the square shaft I2 and the roll I3 carriedthereby. The effect of this movement is to impart a pronouncedoscillation to the core 28 in a direction transverse to its direction ofrotation, with the result that the successive turns -of elastic threadare laid upon the core witha wide spacing, giving the desired basketclosed'in the Letters Patent No. 2,033,356 above j id'entifiedbut is notherein shown. Upon the stopping of the machine, either automatically orby the operator, the completed core may be removed the loose end ofthread fastened off and the golf 'ball completely by the application ofa I molded shell, as will be well understood.

Having -thus described my invention, what I claim. as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patentis:

1; Process o'f manufacturing golf balls or the like by a continuouswinding cycle, characterized by the delivery of a continuous elasticthread to a core, rotating {the core at a lngh rate of formperipheralspeed in laying the inner turns of thread thereon, reducing theperipheral speed of the core while maintaining it in substantially thesame position, and'laying the outer turns of the same thread in basketweave fashion at the reduced winding speed.

12; Process of manufacturing golf balls or the like? bya-continuouswinding cycle, characterized by the delivery of a continuous elasticthread to a core rotating first at one speed and then at a differentspeed, and varying the rate of axial displ'a'cementof the coresimultaneously with such changes in speed.

3. Ero'cess of manufacturing golf balls or the like vby a continuouswinding cycle, characterized by the delivery of an elastic thread toacore rotating continuously first at high and then at low ASpeedaand'icausing pronounced axial displacements of the core to takeplace after subjecting the core to such change from high speed rotation.

4. Process of manufacturing golf balls or the like by a continuouswinding cycle, characterized I are imparted thereto to cause asuccession of more abrupt axial displacements of the core being wound.

5. Process of manufacturing golf balls or the like by. a continuouswinding cycle, characterized by the delivery of a continuous elasticthread to a core rotating first at high speed under uniform conditionstending circumferentially to displace the core being Wound and then at alower speed While a succession of circumferential impulses is impartedto the core at a predetermined rate.

'6, Process of manufacturing golf balls or the like by a continuouswinding cycle, which consists in .rotatin'g'a corecontinuously, first ata high rate of speed for great'circle winding and then a't a low rate ofspeed for basket weave winding, and delivering elastic threadcontinuously to the core throughout the entire cycle.

'7; Process of manufacturing golf balls or the like by a -continuousWinding cycle, which consists in delivering an elastic thread to a core,rotating the core continuously first with a gradual shifting of its axisof rotation whereby the thread is Wound in a great circle manner andthen with abrupt 'perio'dic shifting of its axis of rotation whereby thethread is wound in basket weave fashion.

8. Process of manufacturing golf balls or the like by a continuouswinding cycle, characterized by the delivery of a continuous elasticthread to a core rotated at high uniform peripheral speed while its axisof rotation is gradually and uniformly displaced, the core beingthereafter rotated at lower speed and having its axis of rotationintermittently displaced by external impulses occurring intermittentlyin opposite directions.

9. A machine for winding golf balls or the like, comprising threecore-positioning members arranged to rotate in fixed axial position, andmeans under the control of the operator for imparting axial movement toone of said members during a portion of the Winding cycle.

10. A machine for winding golf balls or the like, comprising a pair ofcore-supporting rolls, and automatic mechanism for imparting axialreciprocation to one of them when the core reaches a predetermineddiameter.

11. A machine for Winding golf balls or the like, comprising a pair ofcore-supporting rolls, means for driving one of said rolls first at onespeed and then a different speed, and means for imparting an oscillatingmovement to one roll When such change of speed is eifected andthereafter during the slow speed rotation of the roll.

12. A machine for winding golf balls or the like by a continuous windingcycle, comprising a pair of parallel shafts having rollers located sideby side for supporting a core, means for driving one of said rollers atdifferent rates of speed, and means for axially oscillating the otherroller during certain periods in the winding cycle, said means beingarranged for holding the said other roll against axial movement duringcertain periods of the winding cycle.

13. A machine for winding golf balls or the like, comprising a pair ofparallel shafts having rollers located side by side for supporting acore, two-speed mechanism for driving one roller at either high or lowspeed, and mechanism for scillating the other roller arranged to berendered inoperative while the driven roller is rotating at high speed.

14. A machine for winding golf balls or the like, comprising a highspeed shaft, low speed driving mechanism, a core-turning rollerassociated with said shaft and said mechanism, a clutch for engaging ordisengaging said shaft and roller, an idle core-supporting roll, andmechanism. for oscillating the same arranged to be thrown into or out ofaction as said clutch is engaged or disengaged.

15. A machine for winding golf ball cores by a continuous winding cycle,comprising cooperating core-supporting rolls, a rotary shaft carryingone roll, means for driving said shaft at two different speeds, meanscontrolled by the diameter of the core for determining the speed of saidshaft, a reciprocatory shaft for the other of said core-supportingrolls, and means for governing the period of reciprocation of saidlatter shaft in the winding cycle.

16. A machine for winding golf ball cores, comprising a rotary shaftcarrying a core-supporting roll, a non-rotary reciprocatory shaftcarrying a cooperating core supporting roll, means for driving therotary shaft at one of two speeds depending upon the diameter of thecore in process of being wound, and means for reciprocating saidnon-rotary shaft only during the rotation of said rotary shaft at itslower speed.

17. A machine for winding cores, having cooperating rotarycore-supporting rolls, two-speed mechanism. for rotating one of saidrolls at different rates of speed, and means for imparting an endwisereciprocation to one of said rolls arranged to be thrown into or out ofaction when the speed of said rotary roll is changed from one rate toanother and having provision for varying the amplitude of suchreciprocation.

18. A machine for winding golf ball cores or the like, comprisinginstrumentalities for positioning and rotating a core to be wound,driving mechanism for certain of said instrumentalities constructed andarranged to operate them at either of two predetermined rates of speedwhile the winding operation progresses continuously, and automatic meansfor effecting such change of speed Without interrupting the operation ofthe driving mechanism.

19. A machine for winding golf ball cores or the like, having means forsupporting and turning the core to be wound comprising a positive 1ydriven roll, a roll supported for free rotation, and means for axiallyreciprocating the freely rotatable roll.

20. A macl'r'ne for winding golf balls or the like, including a drivenshaft having a roll fast thereon, a parallel shaft having a roll mountedfor free rotation and for longitudinal reciprocation, and an endlessband arranged to cradle the core to be wound between the two rolls andto rotate said freely rotatable roll while it is reciprocating,

21. A machine for winding golf balls or the like, including spacedparallel shafts, one having an inwardly concave roll and the other acylindrical roll, an endless belt driven by said inwardly concave rolland driving said cylindrical roll and cradling the core to be woundbetween the two, and means for reciprocating said cylindrical roll.

22. A machine for winding golf balls or the like, including spacedhorizontal shafts, one being driven and having a roll fast thereon, andthe other carrying a longitudinally reciprocating roll mounted thereonfor free rotation, and an endless elastic band passing about said rollsand serving both to rotate the reciprocatory roll and to exert tractionon a core supported between the rolls.

23. A machine for winding golf balls or the like, comprising a drivenshaft having a roll fast thereon, an adjacent shaft carrying an axiallyreciprocating roll mounted thereon for free rotation, a hold-down rollmounted above and between said rolls, and an endless elastic bandpassing about the roll on the driven shaft, driving the reciprocatingroll and cradling the core to be wound beneath said hold-down roll.

24. A machine for winding golf balls or the like comprising a pair ofspaced core-supporting rolls, an endless elastic apron running upon saidrolls, and means for imparting to the core-engaging portion of the aprona combined longitudinal and transverse movement.

25. A machine for winding golf balls or the like, comprising a pair ofspaced rolls for supporting and rotating a core to be wound, means fordriving one of said rolls, a flexible band for driving the other rollfrom said driven roll, and means for reciprocating said other rollwithin the band.

CHARLES R. SIBLEY.

